walkingwithfandomcom-20200222-history
Allosaurus
Allosaurus is the top predator of the Jurassic period. While the largest specimens grew up to 9.7 meters long, the largest specimen (formerly identified as Epanterias) grew to 12 meters long, making it one of the biggest Jurassic predator on the landscape, almost as big as Tyrannosaurus Rex of the later Cretaceous period, but with a more lightweight build and a relatively weaker bite, designed to rip flesh rather than to crush bone. An individual named Big Al was just a sub-adult when it died, yet it had 19 injuries and signs of various diseases. Allosaurus had distinctive crests in front of his eyes for display. They were probably pack hunters and used their numbers to catch larger animals such as Apatosaurus and Diplodocus. Proof of this was shown in the Cleveland Lloyd-Quarry with 75% of the bones belonged to Allosaurus. Though, not everyone agrees and think that like modern reptiles, it showed aggression to each other. The name Allosaurus (al-o-soar-us) meant "different lizard" and was considered the largest predator in the Late Jurassic Era, 150 million years ago. The huge Kings of the Jurassic Era, these giant, 8-13 meter long, carnivorous dinosaurs were the lions of the Jurassic, the top predators of their age. At 3-5 tons, they were such massive predators and as quick and as agile as their little ancestors Coelophysis and Liliensternus. Allosaurus had to eat their own weight in food every month. Allosaurus was mostly found in many parts of North America including Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Dakota, Texas, and other parts of the U.S, but also Allosaurus ranged into parts of Africa such Tanzania etc, and also Australia has a smaller, dwarf-species version. In seven short years, an adult individual of Allosaurus measured 4-5 m tall, was over 10-12 m long and weighed up 3-5 tonnes in weight. Moreover, the body of this dinosaur was agile and flexible enough for them to be the most successful, best-adapted predators of its time. One basic features of Allosaurus was its teeth, which were sharp- long and serrated, and built more like knives to tear and slice up flesh from the bodies of its victims. It's claws were long and sharp, helping not only leave scars but also its arms were opposal, and it can actually cling on to it's victims. It's feet were designed for speed enabling 25km/ph and were fast enough to help it run long distances, and can leap and jump short-distances when close-contact with its prey. Also it had 3 clawed hands and could use them to slice open flesh. It's tail was long and strong enough to keep balance while running, and could use it to change directions quickly. For female Allosaurus, when they are mothers, smell was important to Allosaurus and from the moment mother and hatchling smelled each other, they formed a bond that is crucial to the hatchlings early survival. And in seven short years, hatchling Allosaurus would have become gigantic predators like their mother. When they were hatchelling’s, they had to learn very fast, within two weeks, to stand on their own two feet and to protect themselves. And fighting amongst themselves was a good way to start. They could also hunt for and eat insects. As young Allosaurus reached their second year of life, they grew to measure almost three-meters and insects would no longer be on the menu. They’d be looking for dinosaur flesh. By the time a young Allosaurus was five years old, although they’d reach nine meters long, they would be nearly fully grown. As young Allosaurus grew into the age of six years old, as a sign of age, the crests over their eyes would now be reddening. Sexual maturity was dependent on an Allosaurus' size and and at 10 meters long, Allosaurus were well on the way to be big enough, but by that time, they were more like mature adolescents. When Allosaurus reached at least 13 meters long, they could quickly establish their dominance over predatory dinosaurs, especially other Allosaurus. When predators get to the size of a fully grown Allosaurus, about 13 m, most of those predators rarely have to bring down their own food. They just scavenge other kills. Allosaurus have been theorized to have hunted in packs with or without family units but only when hunting giant prey such as Sauropods and Stegosaurids. The Allosaurus lived alongside other large carnivorous dinosaurs such as Saurophaganax, Ceratosaurus and Torvosaurus, though Allosaurus wouldn't be in direct competition with the other theropds. Paleontologists have always been puzzled why so many predators could fit in a single ecosystem, though like modern ecosytems there are such things as niche partitioning. Allosaurus could hunt Barosaurus, Diplodocus, Apatosaurus and Camarasaurus. Saurophaganax could hunt Amphicoelias and Brachiosaurus. Torvosaurus could hunt Stegosaurus and Gargoyleosaurus, while Ceratosaurus could bring down Camptosaurus. Most Allosaurus bones and skeletons found, were covered in injuries, possibly from battles with other dangerous prey and from even its own species i.e. a sub-adult "Big Al" was found with about 17-19 injuries including a swollen, infected, toe-bone, broken-healed arm, neck injuries and even infected rib bones. It was the main antagonist of Time of the Titans and the protagonist of the Ballad of Big Al. (Later on, footage from Ballad of Big Al would be used in the conclusion of the Walking with Monsters series, where an Euparkeria was shown 'evolving' into an Allosaurus that went on to stalk a herd of stegosaurs.) (A cousin of Allosaurus, known as 'Polar Allosaur' or Australovenator was shown in Walking With Dinosaurs ep. 5, based on the same basic model as Allosaurus itself.) Appearances *Walking with Dinosaurs *Prehistoric Planet *Ballad of Big Al *Walking with Monsters Gallery Category:Walking with Dinosaurs Animals Category:Prehistoric Planet Animals Category:Walking with Monsters Animals Category:Carnosaur Animals Category:Meat eating animals Category:Dinosaurs Category:Bug eaters Category:Predator Category:Walking with Wikia Category:Jurassic megafuna Category:Ballad of Big Al Animals Category:Carnivores Category:Trilogy of Life Category:Apex Predator Category:Creatures Category:2013 Remodeled Animals